Reflect yourself!: Opportunities and limits of wearable activity recognition for self-tracking

Abstract

In this paper we introduce an interdisciplinary investigation into technology of wearable activity recognition and its applications for self-tracking and lifelogging. Wearable activity recognition are computer systems capable of automatically detecting human actions. Using these devices for self-tracking provides the users with a new perspective on their actions. Thus people can refl ect on their actions in a new way. We work on the topic of wearable activity recognition in an interdisciplinary way, both with a theoretical analytic direction and a concrete system design perspective. The theoretical part of this article is about understanding how people relate to their actions using an activity recognition lifelogging device. It is based on the philosophical theory of action. For the concrete design perspective of wearable activity recognition, we introduce two cases from our current design practice. We bridge the theoretical thoughts and the practical perspective by introducing the (critical) design theory. Based on that, opportunity and limits for self-tracking and self-refl ection are the results of the interdisciplinary approach.